Launching apparatus.



A. B. ANDREASSEN.

LAUNGHING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG.10, 1912.

Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

s 'SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. B. ANDREASSEN. LAUNGHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10, 1912.

Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

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A. B. 'ANDREASSEN LAUNGHING APPARATUS. KPPLIOATION FILED AUG. 10, 1912.

3@4939@ Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

an end view of ed v .siam

or BROOKLYN, New 'roms ANBRLS 33. LYEBEASSEN,

LA'NCEENG* APPRATUS.

Specification of Letters -Pate'nt.

Application fled August 1G, i912. Serial' No. NAAM.

an apparatus or" this kind whereby the liey boats can he quickly and safely launched.

The invention also has 'for its object to provide a launching apparatus which will take the lite-boat clear of the side of the vessel, and also lto -provide a lowering device which can he readily controlled so that the boat will not betilted endwise hy lowering one end faster than the other. A further object of the' invention is provide means or slitting-'the heat sur-ports to correspond to the list of the vessel.

ther olojectsy and advantages of the invention will be pointed 'out in the dots' .ed description appearing hereinafter, in order that the invention may be setter undei-stood, reference is had to the accornpen in drawings, in which-Je rigore l is a side elevation et the apriavratus and thev liefooat,.,the latter being shown partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan view, the boat .being also shownpartly rokenaway. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the supporting-cradle or the boat. Fig. Il is the said cradle, and'hig. 5 is an end view of the apparatus.

Referring specically to the drawings, l@ denotes the deck of the vessel carrying the launching apparatus of the liiie-looatll: @n said deck are mouruted two spaced supports l2 :tor the cradle in which the heat rests. The top ci each support is curved and inclined toward the side o' the vessel at which latter it terminates and is laine-ed, as indicated at 13, to swing in a vertical plane. She free inner end of the support rests on a hlcclr le. The supports are hinged' to the deck in order that they may he adjusted to level ,the cradle ii the vessel has a list. Each support carries a pendulum lever i5. The supports l2 are connected near their'free ends a cross-bar 1S having ends an oustsnding arm for a purpose to he here ifle-serie d.' To o with a pinion 3.9 on' a shaft 20. @n said shaft is also fast a spur gear 21 which is in mesh with a pinion 22 on a shaft 23 having a crank-handle 2e. The shafts 20 and 23 are supported between stands 25 mounted on the deck 10. The rack 18 is curved on an arc having for its center the hinge connection- 13, in view. of which it will be evident that the supports 12 may be adjusted as hereinlbefore described upon operating the crankhandle 24.

rThe cradle which supports the boat 11 consists oi" two: angular members 26 which are. pivotally connected at 27 so as to form a substantially lil-shaped frame.' The two .pivotally connected inner branches of the 'members extend upward and divergingly from the pivot, and-the boat seats therebetween. The two outer yloranches of the lends ofthe inner branches ,and have rollers '2Sv at their lower ends which. are mounted to travel on a track 29 oli-top oit the support 12. Each support carries one of the herein-described cradles. The cradles are slidahlyr `mounted on the tracks 29 by means of the .rollers 28, and are adapted to travel toward lthe side of the vessel` andcarry the boat llthereto. The tracks 29 am inclined so that the cradles slide freely forward when released, and when the outer branch or the outer cradle member reaches the end o the deck 10, it drops down over the side of the vessel as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5. The twomembers thereupon spread and release the-boat, the inner branch oit the outer cradle member assumin an outward and downward inclined position, so that the boat mayslip down on the saine and over theside of the vessel. lf the' list-of the vessel is such that the tracks no 4longer incline toward. the side o the vessel9 the supports 12 can loe readily adjusted hylthe means hereinhe'fore described to ive the'tra'cks the required inclination. 'lf e cradles are connected at' the pivot 27 hy a cross-rod 30 which is connected by vlines 31 to 'the cross-bar 16, whereby the cradles are prevented from dropping oil' the vessel when -in launching position., The outer branches ot the inner cradle members are also connected.l hy a cross-rod 32. The rod carries rollers 28a' similari to the lane oward and irom the sise 3a connected at their.

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members extend downward from the upper outer ends by a cross-rod 35. The davits work in guides 36 mounted on the deck 10,

and they may be locked in said guides by.

over a pulley 4l mounted on top of a sta'nchion 42 rising from the deck. The lastmentioned stanchion is mounted so that the vline 38 may pass forward from the pulley 41 to a hoisting drum 43 mounted amidships in the boat Il, the latter having an opening 44 in its side through which the line passes. 'A hauling line as herein described is connected to. each davit, and both .lines are wound on the hoisting drum 43. The tackle for lowering'the boat 11 comprises blocks 45 suspended from the crossrod 35, through each of which blocks is reeved a line 46 having both of its ends passing down into `the boat. One endof the line is unwoundon a drum 47 supported by a endof the line is made fast to said frame. The top of the boat has an opening 49 through which the line passes. The winding drums 47 of the two lines are located fore and aft respectively, in the boat, and the frames-48 thereof have pendulum levels 50, in order that the operators of the drums 47 may readily observe whether the boat is tilting endwise by one of the lines 46 being paid out faster than `the other and it is therefore possible to keep complete control over the boat as" it is being lowered into the water. A' stopper 51 is provided for the opening 44, and the openings 49 are provided with sliding shutters 52y for closing the same. The boat 11 'is entirely closed over on topl as shown and has side doors through which access to the interior is had. The launching of the boat 11 is effected entirely from the interior thereof, an operator being stationed at the hoisting drum 43, and one at each of the drums 47.

The operation is as follows: Thedavits 34 being released by removing the pins 37, the

50 lines 38 are paid out, whereupon the cradles slide down the tracks 29 and 'drop the boat over the side of the vessel as hereinbefore described. The davits also swing downward and .carry the boat beyond the side of the vessel as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5. The guides 36 have stops 53 for limitingthe downward swing of the davits. The boat may now beflowerednt the water by pay ing out the lines 46, and at the same time continuing to pay out the lines 38 or severing the same. In case of emergency, the lines 46 may also becut when the boat reaches the water. The boat is lowered some distance away from the side of the vessel and may vbelowered evenly at both ends by frame 48 mounted in the boat, and the other romero the operators observing the levels 50. The

boat can therefore be lowered and gotten under way in a very short time and without danger of upsetting. If the vessel lists, the

supports 12 will be adjusted as hereinhefore described. The arms 17 engage the davits 34 and serveto adjust the same simultaneous with the Supports 12.

1. A life-boat launching apparatus comprising supports hinged to swing in a vertical plane and extending to the edge ofthe vessel, means for adjusting the supports,

cradles slidably mounted on the supports, a life-boat supported in t-he cradles, davits pivoted to swing in a vertical plane over the side of the vessel, controlling lines connected tothe davits, a winding device in the boat to which device thecontrolling lines are connected, and boat suspension and lowering devices connected to the davits and operable from the boat.

2. A life-boat launching apparatus comprising supports hinged to swing in a vertical plane, and extending to thevedge of the vessel, racks carried by the supports, gears in mesh with the racks, means for operating the gears, cradles slidably mounted en the supports, a life-boat supported in -the cradles, davits pivoted to swing in a vertical plane over the side of the vessel, con trolling lines connected to the davits, a winding device in the 'boat to wh-:h device the controlling lines are connected, and boat suspension and lowering devices connected to the davits and operable from the boat.

3. A- life-boat launching apparatus comprising supports extending to the edge of the vessel, cradles slidably mounted on the supports, a life-boat supported in the cradles, davits pivoted to swing in a vertical .plane over the side of the vessel, controlling lines connected to the davits, a Winding device in the boat to which device the controlling lines areconnected, winding devices in the fore and aft parts of the boat, and hoisting lines engageable with said winding devices'and suspended from the davits.

4. A life-boat launching apparatus comprising supports extending tothe edge of the vessel, cradles slidably mounted on the supports, a life-boat supported in the cradles, davits pivoted to swing in a .vertical plane over the side of the vessel, controlling lines connected to the davits, a winding device in the boat to which device the controlling lines are connected, a crossrod connecting the davits, blocks suspended from said cross-rod, winding devices in the fore and aft parts of the boat, and hoisting lines engageable with said winding devices and reeved through t-he blocks.

f5. A life-boat launching apparatus comprising supports hinged to swing in a verbi;

cal plane end exending o the. edge of the vessel, a connection between the suppors, arms extending from he connection, Ineens for adjusting the supports, cradles slidably mounted en the supports, a life-boat sup' ported in ille cradles, davits pivoied to Swing in a vertical piene over the side of the vessel and engngenble by the :aforesaid arms, contrellinfjA nes connected to yhe devis, e winding device in ille boat ie which device ille conrollng lines; are conneced, and boat suspension and lowering devices connected to the dns-iis and operable from the loont.

6. A li e-locni lezinching apparatus con1- prising si-.ppors eiending to the edge of the ve l, cradles slideloly mounted on the supports end comprising sections which are angular, and the adjacent branches of he sections being pivotally connecged, and freni which pivot said branches exlenf. upwdrd .1nd diverffingiy, ne branches of the sections einending; downward from the di\ erging brenci'ies, n life-boat supporcd bet-Ween the diverging branches, davits 'pivolod to swing' in vertical plane over the side of the vessel, controlling lines connected re lie daviis, a Winding device in the bont to which device ille controlling lines are conne-eicel, end 'boei suspension and lowering devices connected to elle davits and operable from the boat.

7. A lifeboat launching apparatus cornprsng supports extending to the ed'ge of the vessel, cradles slidably mounted on the supports and comprising sections which are angular, and the adjacent branches of the sections being pivotelly connected, and from which pivot seid branches extend npvnrd and dvergingly, the other branches of the sections extending downward from the diverging branches, rollers carried b the lower ends of the downwardly exten ing branches5 said rollers engaging the supports, a life beat supported between the diverging branches, davits pivoted te swing in a vertical plane over the side 0f the vessel, controlling lines connected to the davits, ar Winding device in the boat to which device the controlling lines are connected, and boat suspension and lowering.

devices connected to the davts and operable from Jche boat.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signa# Copies of this patent n.237 be obtained for five cents each, .by addressing the Commissioner of latenta, Washington, D. C. 

